Equinox
by recklesssoul
Summary: A story that follows Eclipse. The Volturi return and give the Cullen family an ultimatum. Bella's heart is broken again. Can Jacob care enough to return to pick up the pieces? Can Edward and his family free themselves and get back to Forks? More 2 come.


**Having trouble figuring out how to make these into chapters. So it's one for now.  
Disclaimer; Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and characters belong to Stephanie Meyers. I just continued the story after being inspired by all of you who have written something here.**

**BELLA**

I woke lazily, stretching, searching for Edward but he wasn't beside me. I sat up and looked around my small room wondering where he might have gone, seeing as he spent almost every night with me, not that Charlie, my dad, knew that. I didn't see Edward but there was a note over by the computer. I got out of bed and grabbed it, snuggling back under the covers before I read its contents.

"Dearest Bella", it began, "I left to take care of some family business but I shouldn't be gone too long. Not to worry - I will call you later, love."  
Edward

I wondered what had happened. Of course he put 'not to worry', he knew I would immediately. Okay, I wouldn't worry just yet. But I was curious to know what was going on with the Cullen clan. Instead I got out of bed and headed for the shower letting the hot water work it's magic. I dried off and dressed quickly, jeans and t-shirt, put my uncooperative hair in a pony tail and headed to the kitchen for some breakfast.

I ate slowly, cleaning up afterwards and then wondered what to do with myself. I cleaned the house and did some laundry keeping my hands busy but not my mind. I wondered constantly why Edward hadn't called yet. School was out for the summer, so I didn't have any school work to do. I could get some groceries and run a few small errands, so I grabbed my raincoat and truck keys and headed out the door. Hopefully Edward would be waiting upstairs for me when I got back. Just in case, I ran upstairs and left a note for him.

I pulled up to Charlie's house a couple hours later, my errands run and groceries in hand. Before I unloaded anything, I ran upstairs to see if Edward was waiting for me. He wasn't, nor had he been here. I sucked in my breath and started to hyperventilate. Where was he? What was going on? Already the panic was starting to seep in around the edges and I grabbed the wall for support before I toppled over. I told myself to breathe. Relax. Settle down. Everything was fine, I told myself. I hated to be separated from Edward this long. I wanted him to wrap his perfect arms around me and tell me everything was as it should be. I wanted him beside me placing his cool, full mouth on mine, in one of those sweet, mind-blowing kisses that I loved and couldn't get enough of.

Charlie's cruiser pulled into the driveway, while I was putting the groceries away. He came into the kitchen, removing his coat and unhooking his gun belt, hanging them on the hook by the door.  
"Smells good Bells." he remarked about dinner as he was heading for the TV. There was always a sporting event to be watched.  
"What did you get up to today?" and then he looked around, with a puzzled expression, "Where's Edward?"

**EDWARD**

I watched Bella sleep just like I did every night. Her breath was even, her chest rising and falling in a harmonious rhythm and occasionally she'd say my name or I love you. She looked like an angel when she slept. I couldn't get enough. Sometimes when she was sleeping really soundly, I'd lean over and ever so lightly kiss her mouth, testing my resolve. Even in a deep sleep a faint blush would touch her cheeks and I could feel her heart begin to race. It made me smile. Suddenly I sat straight up and in an instant I was at the window. Alice was in my head.

"Get home, they're coming, right now".

In a flash I was running. Alice's warnings were coming hard and fast. How had she not seen this before? Why now? The Volturi were coming to visit and only now could I sense it wasn't a social call. I could hear the widespread panic in everyone's thoughts back at the house. I hoped Bella was going to be safe. I wanted her with me but I had to think of my family right now. I was home in a matter of minutes and found them gathered in the dining room. I looked around at the fear in their eyes and stopped short.

"What's happening, they've blocked their thoughts from me", I whispered.

"We don't know", said Carlise, "but something is wrong".

I sat next to Alice and we all held hands as if in prayer but we were gathering our strength and letting Jasper's special talents wash over us and calm our nerves. We sat motionless like that until we heard the Volturi at the front door. Jane was first through the hallway and made a grand, sweeping entrance followed by her considerable but silent entourage.

I sucked in my breath and held it. Their thoughts were carefully hidden from me but I was cognizant that something bad was about to go down. We all stared at Jane, waiting for her to speak, to explain why she was here, why they had come from Italy, quietly and veiled in mystery. The Volturi would come one day, we knew, to see about the promise we had made them about Bella, about her becoming one of us. A vampire. This wasn't why they were here now.

"Cullen's", began Jane, turning to address all of us, "your family is of immense interest to us, as you know, the Volturi have long debated over your talents and the deep bond you share. You know we want you to stand with us and what we want, we get."

Jane smiled, turned her gaze to me and I was convulsing in pain instantly. How she could smile and look so sweet, while she had me on the floor twisting from the waves of torture she sent through my mind, was something even I couldn't fathom.

"You Edward, she taunted, "are the key, to getting what we want".

Carlisle spoke first.

"What is this about Jane, what do you want?"

I stayed where I was on the floor. Jane wasn't finished with me yet. Jane swivelled to stare down Carlise and he involuntarily shivered under her stealthy gaze.

"Why, Carlise" Jane purred softly, "I didn't think I would have to explain the Volturi's needs to you. But I will because the rest of your family needs to know as it concerns all of you."

Jane glanced back at me and again, I was writhing in ruinous pain. Alice rushed to my side.

"Stop this, Jane, at once," commanded Carlise rising from the head of the table, his hand still holding tightly to Esme's. "Please stop hurting my son and tell us what you want without the theatrics, I won't stand for it."

Jane opened her arms in a graceful, sweeping motion and smiled silkily, while acknowledging everyone of us with a surreptitious nod of her head. She had our full attention.

"The Volturi wants the Cullens and you will come live with us in Italy in exchange for the life of your little pet. The clumsy one. The pet you promised to change but haven't yet.

"Never", I screamed, jumping up from the floor. I never even made it to a standing position before Jane had me twisting in overwhelming torment again.

"STOP AT ONCE," shouted Carlisle.

I could see him advancing on Jane but she held up her little hand to indicate for him to come no closer and he halted. Jane let up her torture on me for the moment. Alice squeezed my hand.

"How much does your little companion mean to you?" Jane turned her unrelenting gaze on me. "How much?" she whispered again.

I stayed silent for the moment trying to comprehend why she needed this information, but she was keeping her mind deliberately hidden from me and then her smile widened and she reached for my hands, there was almost tenderness in her eyes but I knew the evil behind them.

"Edward", she whispered, " Aro, Caius and Marcus have found a way to make your family part of our family. We will rule absolute, forever. You won't come willingly, so we devised our own incentive. The Cullen family in exchange for the life of Bella. Either you all come to Italy or we kill her."

I almost passed out right there. The pain ripped through my chest and forced it's way out of my mouth in a terrifying snarl. Jasper and Emmett jumped up from the table, knocking their chairs over simultaneously, they were letting loose their own gutteral snarls, teeth bared, ready to fight.

"How dare you," I shrieked, getting in her face, not caring that she could destroy me with a glance.

Jane's posse advanced but she waved them back. She was prepared for this.

"You have a moment to talk between yourselves, then we leave for Italy."

And she was gone.

**BELLA**

I picked up the phone and started dialing Edward's number. I stopped and hung up for the 10th time. He said he'd call me. I paced some more. Charlie was beginning to pick up on my agitation.

"Bells, what is it?" he asked turning his attention away from the basketball game.

"I haven't heard from Edward all day, dad. He told me this morning he had to take care of some family business and he hasn't called." I carefully avoided the fact I only knew this from the note he left me after spending the night with me. Not something Charlie needed to know.

"He'll call Bell's, give him some space."

That was Charlie's version of chill out and he was fine with Edward not being at the house. He never forgave him for leaving me once.

I disappeared up to my room and grabbed my headphones and cd player. I laid down on my bed and played my favourite cd of Edward's compositions to soothe my panicked nerves. My overactive imagination played out different scenarios about why Edward was not at my side with his arms around me. I got up and paced some more, the cd failing to quiet my mind. I opened the window even though the rain beat down in torrents, like it usually did, here in Forks. I peered into the darkness.

"Oh, Edward, where are you? Are you safe?"

I finally gave into my helplessness and despair, crawled under the covers, put the headphones back on and drifted into a strange, broken sleep.

**EDWARD**

I gaped at my family in horror. What had I done? My refusal to make Bella a vampire was now being used as bait to unite our talents to those of the Volturi. I was a monster of the worst kind, the sickness in my stomach was engulfing me. I had no words for the people I loved. I couldn't let Jane kill Bella but I couldn't let my family become slaves of the Volturi. I tried to speak but the only sound coming from my throat was incoherent choking of pain and shame. Maybe they could just take me but I knew that Jane would never consent to any deviation other than what she had come for. If I made obvious my desire to keep Bella and my family safe, would Jane want more from me, knowing she could take anything. If I had a heart it would be broken in a million shattered pieces. If I could cry, the tears would be flowing from my eyes, of that I was sure. Carlisle and Esme came over and hugged me but I felt no comfort in it.

"We will go with them," said Carlisle matter-of-factly, "there is no other choice and none of us - he looked carefully at Rosalie - would ever allow Bella to die for us. We will be fine and we will be treated with respect, we will still be together."

Emmett and Jasper nodded silently in agreement. Alice fidgeted, wringing her hands, her eyes wide in fear. I knew she was terrified at the thought of joining the Volturi. She closed her eyes momentarily.

"They won't touch her if we leave, she whispered, Jane is true to her word, Bella will be safe."

I noticed Alice's eyes grow wide, almost too quickly for me to notice, and then she was composed, hands still clung together but her mind was uneasily clear. I couldn't dwell on it, our predicament was overpowering everything else.

"I'm sorry, Carlisle, Esme, everyone." I stammered.

I couldn't make my eyes meet theirs. It didn't matter. I could hear their every painful thought. They all loved Bella though, I wasn't alone in that. She was worth it to me but I couldn't bear for my family to have to pay for my sin.

I felt Carlisle grip my shoulder as he turned to face Jane who had just walked back in.

"Are we ready to leave?" she politely questioned, even though it wasn't one.

Jane's entourage discreetly surrounded us in case we decided to do something foolish. It would have been a good fight but at what cost. I knew my family would fight if I gave the slightest inclination to. Emmett was twitching with rage. My mind flew at breakneck speed, trying to find a way to remedy this outrageous twist of deceit. I thought of the mongrels up in La Push, but there was no way to let them know what was happening. The idea of them helping us again was almost comical. There was no way that was going to happen. The werewolves would not help us again. I was beginning to come unglued. Would I get to say good bye to Bella? Should I say goodbye? She would never allow us to go with the Volturi, she would rather forfeit her own life than see that happen. I could never allow her to know what had transpired here. Bella deserved so much more than me. How many times could I hurt her, could I break my promises to her? As we followed Jane out the door into the black of the night, I stumbled and fell to the ground in complete agony, ten times worse than anything Jane could inflict on me. If I was able to die again I would have right there on the porch.

**BELLA**

I woke with a start. Edward. I looked around. He wasn't with me. The panic started right away. My heart thumped picking up speed with every beat. I jumped out of bed and ran downstairs to the kitchen, slamming into the bannister as I teetered off course. I grabbed for the phone and dialed Edward's cell number. It took me three times because I was shaking so uncontrollably. I sank to the floor after 20 rings, my legs giving out underneath me. I hung up and tried Alice's number with the same result. I curled up in a ball, the waves of hysteria washing over me, pulling me under.

"Breathe," I told myself. "You don't know what happened", it could be nothing, breathe, breathe."

I calmed myself enough to stand up, holding onto the counter in case I should lose control again. Charlie's cruiser was gone. Probably off fishing. It was Sunday after all.

I fell into a chair and put my head on the table. The phone was still in my hand. I tried the Cullen's house. Nothing but empty ringing. Tears welled up in my eyes. That feeling of abandonment I had known once before was threatening to crush me. I gripped my sides in hopes of keeping the pain from spilling outside the hole that was ripping itself apart in my chest.

"Edward", my mind screamed, "Where are you?"

When Charlie arrived home hours later, he found me under the kitchen table, doubled over, wrapped in the phone cord, with an expression in my eyes he knew only too well.

"Bella", he gasped in horror, "what's happened?" Talk to me honey. Bells? Bells?"

He shook me gently, cradling me into his lap. I had no words for my dad. I couldn't speak. I stared blankly at the phone I still clutched in my hands. We stayed like that long enough for Charlie to start cramping from the hard floor. He shifted his weight, still holding me gently. I knew this was too much for Charlie to take. I couldn't do this to him twice.

"Dad, I think Edward's gone", I choked on the emotion flooding up from within. "They're all gone". I couldn't meet his eyes.

My dad extricated the phone my grasp and dialed the Cullen residence. Same result. It just rang and rang. Each empty ring slamming my heart into pulp. I clutched my sides and whimpered. He dialed the hospital and asked for Dr. Cullen. I could only hear Charlie's end of the conversation but it was apparent that Carlisle hadn't shown up at the hospital today and no one knew his whereabouts. Charlie was at a loss. He did the only thing he could think of. He called Jacob Black.

Billy answered the phone and I could hear Billy tell Charlie that Jacob wasn't there and he'd been gone for a couple weeks and didn't know when or if he might be back. Charlie was stunned by the news. I was too because I knew the reason he was gone. Me. It was always me. Hurting everyone, especially Jacob.

"Billy, why didn't you tell me this? Is everything okay? Is Jake okay? What's going on?"

Billy spoke for a few more minutes, Charlie's face slowly relaxing back to his normal self. He let out his breath that I'm sure he wasn't aware of holding. Before the two men ended their conversation I could tell Billy asked Charlie if everything was alright and Charlie's answered with a hesitant yes, not sure he wanted to burden his friend.

"Billy, the Cullen's have left - again", was all he said and then he hung up the phone.

"I'm going to my room", I managed to squeak out.

I lurched up In my stricken, dazed, zombie-like state stumbling towards the stairs. I knew Edward was gone. They were all gone. I could feel it in my empty, bleeding soul. And now Jacob was gone too. All because of me. It was more than I could stand and I didn't think I was strong enough to bear the abyss of blackness that was swallowing me up this time.

**A/N: Thanks for reading. It's my first story. I would love to hear from you as I continue.**


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